A Solstice Scavenger Hunt with lots of winners!

Fantasy SciFi Readers Lounge Presents its first ever Solstice Scavenger Hunt!

This month I'm participating in my first ever social scavenger hunt. It runs from June 16th to June 29th. With a name and theme based on the summer solstice, how could I resist? Back in my college days my friends and I created superhero personas for ourselves. I opted to be more of a sidekick, but my name was Solstice.

I could fly, travel at the speed of light, which made me almost invisible and form fireballs to use as weapons. Sometimes I really miss those carefree days of adventure.

Art by Sketch at The Sketch Pad (from a long time ago)

Now you know why I was interested in this scavenger hunt, but why should you check it out? Let me lay it out for you.

19 Authors have joined forces to offer readers:

• a chance at $75 cash via PayPal
• 19 eBooks as Grand Prize
• 38 secondary prizes (an eBook from one of our participating authors) will be given to randomly chosen participants who solve the puzzle

And I will be giving away audiobooks of three of my books to those who comment on my blog.

You could get THE MAGIC WAKES, DAWN OF THE MAGES, or STELLAR CLOUD for free, just for commenting!

To play for a chance to win the other prizes, you must go to each of the authors' sites listed below, collect the "hidden" word(s), unscramble them, and then enter to win! Enter Here

Goal Updates

First, a little update from a couple things I mentioned in my Insecure Writer's Support Group post.

• A Merrily Matched Christmas (6 novelettes) is available for $0.99 preorder for today and tomorrow before it's release on Thursday. 
• The author events in Mulberry and Bella Vista were a lot of fun. I enjoy getting to talk about writing in general and love talking about my own stories. What's not to love?
• I sold a couple books at the craft fair, including my proof copy of The Magic Wakes. I probably shouldn't have, but the teen really wanted it and I felt bad that I hadn't been able to get the books delivered before the fair. I hope he enjoys it. 
• Last weekend was a wonderful time with family. I ate way too much food, but that's what we do. 
• I have been writing more this month than I have in the last 8 months, thanks to sort of doing Nanowrimo. That may not say a lot, but I'll take it! Sadly, the writing is scattered between several new ideas as well as the three I need to be finishing. 

Writing Influences--Louise Lawrence

I'm always reflecting on my writing and asking myself who it reminds me of, where did the influences come from. It's a combination of the thousand books or so I've read over my lifetime. Every author from my past helped shape my view of the universe and what's possible.

I wish I could tell each of them THANK YOU! Thanks for a childhood full of wonder.

Today I want to highlight one of those authors. I recently went on an Amazon search for some of my favorites by Louise Lawrence.

Louise Lawrence

1943-2013

She wrote science fiction for teens when not many others did. And she was a woman! She published her first book a few years before I was born, but her stories still resonate deep in my soul. As I've reread her stories I can see ideas in her writing that are a part of who I am. In many ways she planted the idea that I could write my own style of science fiction and share those stories with the world.

The first book I ever read by her was CHILDREN OF THE DUST.

From Goodreads:
After a nuclear war devastates the earth, a small band of people struggles for survival in a new world where children are born with strange mutations.

Everyone thought, when the alarm bell rang, that it was just another fire practice. But the first bombs had fallen on Hamburg and Leningrad, the headmaster said, and a full-scale nuclear attack was imminent.

It's a real-life nightmare. Sarah and her family have to stay cooped up in the tightly-sealed kitchen for days on end, dreading the inevitable radioactive fall-out and the subsequent slow, torturous death, which seems almost preferable to surviving in a grey, dead world, choked by dust.

But then, from out of the dust and the ruins and the destruction, comes new life, a new future, and a whole brave new world.

My Take:
I reread this last week. It only took half a day, and I was surprised at how deeply it touched me. Maybe it's my age, maybe the fact that I'm a mother of teenagers now. I don't know, but I was crying in part one and the emotion never left me.

The choices these people have to make are impossible, and yet Lawrence highlights the best of humanity right beside the ugliness. The juxtaposition of those aspects of our personalities keeps everything very real. The book is divided into three sections: Sarah (the fallout), Ophelia (20 years after fallout) and Simon (55 years after fallout). I'll try and highlight what I love about each section without spoilers.

Sarah--
There is vicious anger at the hopeless situation, followed by the depression. Then Sarah steps up. She accepts the fact she has no future, but is determined to do everything she can to give her younger half-sister something for a new life. The struggle doesn't end, but once she has a purpose she can't quit. The real question is how to accomplish this.

Ophelia--
She was born in an underground military shelter. Life for her is school and genetics and Dwight Allison. When Dwight has had it with all that he sees wrong with the system, he heads outside to warn the few outsiders that survived the nuclear winter. Ophelia goes with him and gets a glimpse of a world to scary for her to deal with. She leaves Dwight to return to the shelter but his words will haunt her the rest of her life--Dinosaurs in bunker.

Simon--
Dwight's prediction is coming true. The few left in the bomb shelter have waited for a technological miracle that never came. Simon leaves with a small group to ask the outworlders for assistance. He still carries the arrogant thought that he's better than the mutated humans living outside. He's educated after all. Does it matter that his people don't know how to do anything practical to help them survive in a new world? He's about to find out just how insignificant and important he really is.

As far as I know, all of Lawrence's books have been removed from libraries. I know! You can find them fairly cheap on Amazon. I bought four of her novels and after shipping they averaged about $5 a piece for hardback books.

Here's a list of the other three I bought--
Moonwind
Calling B for Butterfly
Andra--This is her first novel, published in 1971

What author do you think influenced your writing the most?

Local Author Event

Saturday I attended the 2nd Annual Northwest Arkansas Author Book Fair. There were lots of authors to meet, and a few customers. Perhaps it was the rain that kept people away? I did manage to sell 3 books and one of Talia's necklaces, so I'll count it as a success.

The best part of the day was getting to meet and talk with these other authors who are writing and doing the best they can to market their books. Now that I understand how hard it is to get the word out about our novels and other projects I want to help as much as I can. I handed out lots of bookmarks to my fellow authors and invited them to contact me about guest posts, interviews, or just novel highlights here on my blog. 

Back to High School and the Second Sign

There are some things about my new town that I really love. For instance, they have this great way of starting the school year at the high school. They have a "back to school celebration" (or something, I don't actually remember what they called it) where the freshman go one day and their parents are invited. Then the rest of the school goes on another day--parents also invited. I love how they are trying to keep parents involved with their student's education at this level. Most places just give up on the parents at this point.

Friday I spent the day with my freshman. We went through a modified day where we got to meet all of her teachers, get the scoop on what to expect and of course find our way around the massive school. I'm telling you it's more like a junior college than a high school.

Today I'm back at school with my junior to do the same thing. It brings back some memories let me tell you!

Tomorrow all four of my kids will be back in school full time. I'm going to celebrate by putting together a resume, dropping off some applications and then writing the rest of the day. Who knows how much longer I'll get to do that.

In other news, I had another surprise book show up! The amazing Elizabeth Arroyo's The Second Sign!

So now I have two books to read and review in September. That's my goal. At least two books a month--read and reviewed. It doesn't seem like much, but I used to gobble up books. Now I'm so busy that two will be a great start. :)

Tagged--The Next Big Thing Meme

If you're looking for my DINYB entry, click the link.

Marcy tagged me in the Next Big Thing meme that's going around. A couple of us at Unicorn Bell are tackling the Next Big Thing meme today. Check out their entries too: Marcy, Charity, Alicia, and Huntress.This sounds/looks a lot like one I did in July, but hey if you ask me to talk about my book I could do it all day long. ;)

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

Feel free to grab the questions and do the same. I know I'd love to hear more about your novel or current wip.

1. What is the name of your book?
The Magic Wakes

Previously, and still between friends, Sendek. Although the new title lends itself to nifty marketing catch phrases much easier. The Magic Wakes on February 19th, 2013 is so much cooler than Sendek ??? on Feb...see what I mean?

Can I just say one more time how much I LOVE my cover! I never learned the designer's name, but they did a great job.

Draguman

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
The original seed came from a freaky dream I had when I was 19, combined with another one I had when I was 28. These creatures were chasing me through underground tunnels with one purpose--kill me. I still don't know why, but that dream stuck with me all these years.

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Speculative fiction would be the easy answer because it's complicated. :) See question 10 for more details.


4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?

5. Give us a one-sentence synopsis of your book.
As her nightmares of invasion and death become reality, a scientist embraces her hidden magic to save her world from an ancient mistake.


6. Is your book already published/represented?
It will be released February 19, 2013 by WiDo Publishing. You can already pre-order the book on Amazon, but the Kindle version isn't up yet. It's still early, but so fun to see!

7. How long did it take you to write your book?
I got serious about writing in 2008. That's when I knocked out the completed first draft for Nanowrimo.

8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
I hate this question because I'm never sure how to answer. I read more YA (I'm fixing that) and so I compare myself to those authors, but this is not YA because of the age of my characters. But I think people who like Elana Johnson, Beth Revis, Janice Hardy, and Stephanie Meyer will enjoy my writing style.

This is what I would consider an easy read--high adventure, fast paced, but not so technical that you get bogged down in details. Those who enjoyed Alex Cavanaugh's CassaStar might enjoy this as well.

I would hope that people who enjoyed Michael Offutt's Slipstream would enjoy this even though I'm no where near as scientifically detailed as he is.

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
I've devoured books since the 5th grade and there are way too many authors to list. I love to read authors who make the book about the story rather than the science or the particular brand of magic. Those elements should flow through seamlessly.

10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.
This book was written as an escape for me, and for you. There's a little science, a little fantasy, lots of adventure and chases, aliens, a dragon, and a romance. The dragon has only a small part in this book, but will play a greater role in upcoming sequels.

You can learn more on my Goodreads Page or my Author Website.

Here are some links to a few other people participating in this meme today:

First Loves Blogfest

Today is Alex Cavanaugh's First Loves Blogfest. We are to post our first loves – first movie, first song/band, first book, and first person. Four loves, one blogfest! Don't forget to follow the link and check out the other participants.

So here we go.

First movie I can remember loving?

The Goonies
What's not to love? A bunch of misfits trying to save their homes, pirates, booby traps, One Eyed Willie, and the Truffle Shuffle!

Great lines:
Goonies never say die.

"...booty traps." "You mean booby traps?" "Yeah, that's what I said, booby traps."


First Song/Band
This is a bit more telling on my age, but my first love here is Chicago.


First Book

I have to go with Anne of Green Gables. I relate to Anne on so many levels. Just ask anyone who knows or has met me and they can tell you that I talk constantly. If I try really hard, I can shut my mouth, but blabbering is an art with me.

There is this deep seated need in my to have people like me, and I take things very personally when they don't. And when my temper flairs, you'd swear I was a carrot top like Anne.





First Love
My first love might have been Gilbert Blythe. But my mother tells a story of catching me kissing a boy named Shawn outside my dad's Chiropractic office when I was in Kindergarten. I don't remember this, but there you go.

There were lots of crushes throughout my years, but I got lucky enough to marry and hold onto my first REAL love.

Still my favorite photo

Engagement Photo

Year 1-young, fit, hiking the Y

A bit older, rounder, but still happy to be together.

While I Wait...

No one ever told me that waiting for the next steps after signing a contract could be so hard. You think that once you hear "yes", everything will get easier. Maybe it's because waiting between "No" is no longer a big deal.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't really had to wait long. A total of 20 days passed between me signing the contract and getting it back in the mail. That's a snail mail issue and nothing else.

• During that time I worried that my contract got lost in the mail.
• Or exploded in some massive highway pile up between here and there.
• I worried that WiDo changed their minds and didn't know how to break the news to me.
• I thought, "Oh, no. I've already proven to them that I'm highly unstable emotionally and they are working to get me committed." No, wait, that's my family.
• I thought maybe I made the whole thing up. My family accuses me of that all the time because I have conversations in my head and I forget which ones took place in the real world and which ones were imaginary.

Needless to say, when the contract did show up with a nice letter welcoming me to the family, I was RELIEVED! There was also information on my editor and a note to shoot her an email. Which I did as soon as I finished cooking, serving, and eating dinner. See, I can show some self restraint.

She replied the next morning with instructions and I'm so excited to get started. The first round will be a general read on her part with comments on plot and character structure/development. Once we get all the holes filled and things squared away there, we will move to a scene by scene edit.

This is the one I'm excited about. I kept trying to tell myself I needed to do this, but just couldn't muster the energy. Knowing someone will help me has motivated me again.

And finally, we will do the line by line edit. Somewhere in there we will get an idea as to when Sendek will be released. I'm trying to prepare myself for Fall of 2013, but hoping with hard work I might be able to swing an earlier release. However, I have no idea how any of that works and I'm completely willing to leave that up to my new besties.